Where have I been? I’ll get you up to date.
1) I’m going to call PerNoWriLent an unreserved success. Although there were several times I wanted to take a day off (which would have turned into several days, which would have turned into a stall) I managed to nail my word count on just about every day of Lent. (Well, after I resolved to do Personal Novel Writing Lent, that is.) The upshot is I think I managed to do 35,000 words, and I’m now in the penultimate scene. The final scene will be easy to write, but the one I’m in kind of has me stuck. I may just slap something together and rewrite it when I get back to it during the editing phase.
Overall, I really think this book is good. I’m still in that ♥♡♥♡My Book♡♥♡♥ phase, not yet in the phase where I want to drop-kick the manuscript into the ocean but refrain for fear its foulness will slaughter the fish.
2) I finished knitting a pair of socks. The color scheme and pattern are based on Hobbits. Do these remind you of hobbits?
3) After some back-and-forth, Lee Jeans finally settled on jeans they thought would answer all my complaints in my Dear John letter. I honestly believe the cutomer service rep when she says they don’t want to lose a customer who’s been brand-loyal for 20 years. I believe them. I even told them I would trust their judgment and that if they had 98% cotton / double-seamed jeans, I’d be delighted to try them again. They picked them out for me, and mailed them, and guess what? Single seams up the inseam.
But yes, it’s all-cotton, so maybe that makes a difference. I don’t know. I’m honestly sick inside about that. They just don’t make the product anymore, and they want me (us) to like them, but the fact is, the product that worked when they made it correctly just doesn’t work when they make it the way they do now. One set of stitches up the inside isn’t the same as two, and what gets me is that they don’t even know it, and yet they still make the men’s jeans the same way they always did.
I wasn’t sure if I should just send them back. People here are telling me no, just give them a try. Maybe the all-cotton will make a difference in whether they tear themselves apart during regular walking-around.
4) I’m still working toward being able to jog a 5K by June. I don’t think I’m going to succeed, but I’m going to fail trying rather than just failing. I’m tired of failing because I gave up at things, you know? So now I’m just going to fail all the way.
Currently, I can jog 1 mile at speeds that would make your great-great-grandmother want to push me out of the way, after which I walk for a little while and then do another mile. Apparently the Couch To 5K program thinks we’re supposed to be able to do a 10 minute mile, though (hahahahahaha!!!!!! I mean, um, hahahahaha!!!) so I’ve started introducing brief sprintlets at 6mph into my standard one-mile jog at “glacial.” I’m up to 2.75 miles for the total workout, with over half a mile of that at walking speed.
In other words, don’t sign me up for any races yet.
I am SO glad Isigned up to follow your blog! You are awesome.
Thanks! I checked out your profile — you make rosaries? How cool is that? 🙂
Actually, there are many 5ks that combine walkers and runners in the crowd (usually, the slower the pace, the further back in the crowd you start, which lets you avoid getting trampled by the faster runners). Depending on the size of the race, it can have a nice, “festival” type of feel to it, with a lot of energy, and the only one worried about your performance will be you. I do recommend signing up for one, even if it turns out to be a wog (walk/jog). Plus, hey, free swag (race shirts, etc.). 🙂
Heck, I’ll do one with you. I’ve been slacking off on my running since July. It’ll keep me honest. 😉
I think we’re too far apart geographically for that to work, but we could have a shared goal.
I know there are some times when you might be walking during a 5K, but I think if I’m going to say I jogged a 5K, I shouldn’t be walking for a third of it. 😉 But I might be able to find a really low-pressure one where it won’t be so bad if it takes me 45 minutes to get to the finish.
I didn’t add another complication: I’m running indoors on a treadmill in a controlled environment. I figure it’s going to get a lot harder when I try this outdoors.
Those socks look more ent than hobbit, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I haven’t done much running lately. Once my sister dared me to run 100 times around the house, which I did. But that was in 1958. Not sure I could do it now in this house. Too much of a nuisance opening and closing the gates to keep the dogs in.
In Western Sydney we have people from all over the world. Those from the subcontinent add a little to fun runs. They have introduced those coloured powder dyes they use in India. Towards the end of fun runs you run through a cloud of rainbow coloured dust. You should try it.
I would love to run through a rainbow cloud. It would probably trigger my asthma, but at least I’d die surrounded in a blaze of color.
My Lenten resolve was to write a daily reflection on my blog. And I did – through a vacation, through the weeks, and then….I ended up in the hospital with what my loving husband feared was a minor stroke and doctors diagnosed as no stroke but Transient Global Amnesia. Which is was…about 7 hours which meant an overnight stay in the hospital which I remember, just not the seven previous hours which got me there. Well. And that was Lent. With blessings in disguise which I didn’t even expect. Not a stroke, just a missing in action. Lent. It brings all sorts of surprises. Sometimes the disciplines we take up for Lent are just that. Surprises.